Remus and Dora: To the End
by hogwarts92
Summary: The untold story of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks as they fought to the death in the Great Hall of Hogwarts during the war. Intended as an insert, an explanation to the mysterious way they both died.


Remus and Dora: To the End

A shower of red sparks flew at Ginny as she fought her way through the masses of people filling the Great Hall. She shot a hex at a Death Eater, hitting square in the face. The mask slipped, revealing Gregory Goyle's father. He grunted angrily and raised his wand, pointing it back at his attacker. Angelina Johnson took the opportunity to hit him in the stomach with a spell. He recoiled, and Ginny moved on, determined to find Tonks. She dodged Firenze as he galloped wildly down the hall, conjuring a quick shield charm as the Death Eater Dolohov cast a hex at her. She saw Lupin the next instant, coming up behind Dolohov and aiming a curse at his back.

"Remus!" she cried out. Lupin replied without looking at her, his eyes trained on Dolohov, sweat dripping down his face.

"I'm a little busy, Ginny! What is it? Diffindo!" he added, cutting the ropes that had been released from Dolohov's wand.

"Have you seen Tonks?" Lupin looked sharply at her, dousing Dolohov's attack with a jet of water.

"Nymphadora? She's with Teddy at her mum's house, Ginny!" He sought reassurance from her eyes. Ginny shook her head.

"She came back, she's here, she was looking for you!"

"Impedimenta! When did you last see her?"

"Not ten minutes ago, she came here to find you!" Lupin blocked a jinx with his wand and spun, shooting a Full Body Bind curse at Dolohov. The Death Eater froze on the spot, keeling over. Lupin ran to Ginny, his eyes darting around the crowded hall.

"We need to find her!" He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her with him as they pushed through the knot of people.

"Arthur! Have you seen Nymphadora?" Ginny's father was locked in combat with Narcissa Malfoy. His glasses were askew and his nose bleeding. He hurled a broken pillar at her with his wand, glancing hurriedly at Lupin.

"Tonks? No sign, Remus." He blocked a spell with difficulty, forcing it back upon the pale blonde figure. He allowed his eyes to lock with his daughters, giving her a small smile behind his spectacles.

"No matter what, Remus, keep Ginny safe!" That was all he could say before being hit bluntly in the stomach with a spell, letting out a gasp. He recoiled heavily, before lifting his wand and shouting "Relashio!" They were swallowed back up in the fight.

"Where is she?" Ginny was becoming panicked. A sudden shout came from behind her. Fenrir Greyback had leapt onto Lupin, snarling and biting his neck. Lupin cried out, his eyes screwed up in pain. He raised his wand.

"Stupefy!" The werewolf slumped and fell to the floor, immediately trampled upon. Lupin grinned at Ginny. "I've still got it in me!" She smiled weakly back, deflecting a stream of intense gold sparks. Kingsley Shacklebolt came into view, dueling with Yaxley.

"Kingsley, do you have any idea where Nymphadora is? She's here somewhere!" Lupin deflected a falling column from the ceiling, sending it at Yaxley instead. It hit its mark, disabling the large man. Kingsley glanced once at Ginny and nodded. His deep boom of a voice rang with clarity over the battlefield.

"Yeah, she was dueling Bellatrix near the back. Follow me." He flicked his wand suddenly to the right, repelling Macnair with great force. He beckoned quickly to Lupin and Ginny and turned towards the back of the hall. Ginny cried out as Professor Sprout fell to the floor, hit with a violent blue streak from Augustus Rookwood's wand. Kingsley Stunned the Death Eater, making sure to kick him when stepping over the body. Lupin disarmed a nameless foe, snapping his wand in disgust and scanning the hall for some sign of his wife.

"There they are!" Ginny had spotted Bellatrix and Tonks amidst the action, spinning in a wild frenzy of spells, Bellatrix's distinct, haughty laugh carrying over the distance. Lupin pushed forward until he was within earshot.

"Dora! What are you doing here?" He aimed a curse at Bellatrix. Without even looking it was deflected flawlessly. Tonks shot a Stunning Spell at Bellatrix, looking wildly for the source of her husband's voice.

"I came here to fight, Remus! Teddy's safe, he's with Mum!" Tonks' spell was turned to dust by her opponent, the fragments lingering in the air before solidifying into a ferocious red dragon, which flew savagely at Tonks. Lupin blasted it away forcibly, turning the duel into a three-way fight. Kingsley held Ginny back from the chaos, sending a blast over his left shoulder. Professor McGonagall appeared behind Lupin, locked in combat with three Death Eaters at once. Kingsley turned to Ginny.

"Stay here, I'm going to go help."

"What, and get killed? Being underage doesn't exactly protect me from being attacked, does it, Kingsley?" The auror nodded. Ginny gasped at a flare of green light from Bellatrix's wand; she was now fighting to kill. McGonagall sent one of her opponents flying, hitting the back wall with a jolt. Lupin and Tonks were now next to each other, two on one against Bellatrix.

"Dora, you should have stayed home!" Lupin twisted his wand, causing a great crack to appear in the floor between them and Bellatrix.

"My place is here, Remus! With you." Tonks grabbed his hand briefly before parrying a spike of cruel black from Bellatrix's wand. A green light suddenly broke out from behind Ginny. Dolohov had seemingly broken the Full Body Bind and was blasting his way through the crowd, deflecting Death Eaters and students alike. His eyes were locked vehemently on Lupin.

"Oh no you don't, cousin!" Bellatrix shot another Killing Curse at Tonks, which she just barely skirted. Lupin shot a ring of shimmering red energy at her, fire in his eyes. Ginny hurled at Bat-Bogey hex at Bellatrix's back, but yet again it was deflected effortlessly.

"Sectumsempra!" Tonks blocked the curse with a triumphant laugh, for a brief moment mirroring her cousin's mad look.

"Ginny, behind you!" Kingsley, busy assisting McGonagall, was staring over Ginny's right shoulder. Ginny spun, looking wildly for her assailant. Blaise Zabini, clad in Death Eater robes, was leering three feet away from her. He raised his wand.

"Reducto!" Ginny knocked him backward, smiling.

"Avada Kedavra!" Ginny's eyes widened as these words were uttered, for she knew they would not miss their mark this time. The spell that was released from Bellatrix's wand seemed to be guided by fate. It hit Tonks dead-on in the heart.

"NO!" Ginny cried out, leaping for Bellatrix, running furiously and without thought. Kingsley broke from his fight and blocked Ginny, holding her back.

"You can't fight her, Ginny! I can't let you get hurt!" Kingsley was stony faced, anger etched in every line of his wise face. Ginny stared in horror at the body, not able to believe that Tonks, her kindred spirit, was dead. Lupin had knelt to the floor, taking his wife in his arms, tears flowing freely from his eyes. Bellatrix was standing above him, smirking. She raised her wand.

"No!" Minerva McGonagall leapt in front of Lupin, standing between him and his death.

"Incarcerus!" Dolohov had finally overtaken Kingsley and Ginny, striding over to Bellatrix and shooting long ropes from his wand. The flung themselves freely towards McGonagall. She waved her wand and they turned to smoke, vanishing. Bellatrix jerked her wand in a circular motion, and a ring of fire encircled the small group, inches away from Ginny. All fighting ceased within the circle of fire. Bellatrix and Dolohov circled the fallen Lupin and Tonks hungrily. McGonagall had her wand trained on Bellatrix. Kingsley cast a quick protective charm over Ginny and strode towards McGonagall.

"Step aside, old lady. I don't wish to harm you." Dolohov pointed his wand threateningly at McGonagall. Ginny glanced down at Lupin; he was stroking Tonks' face. Ginny had never seen him at such an utter loss.

"It was foolish of you to threaten Minerva, Dolohov." Kingsley made a slashing motion with his wand, which Dolohov parried, effectively rekindling the fight. The four standing whirled around one another with amazing speed, spells ricocheting in every direction. Lupin rose slowly from his spot in the center, Tonks laying limp on the floor. His face was caked with tears, mixing with the blood and dirt.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix hit Lupin with his guard down. He let out a scream, falling to the ground and writhing in agony. For one horrible moment, his flailing body made contact with Tonks' still one. McGonagall narrowed her eyes.

"How DARE you!" She and Kingsley simultaneously attacked Bellatrix, sending her reeling, her wand flying from her grasp. Dolohov's hand shot out and caught it in midair. The castle shook menacingly, debris raining down on the fight. Bellatrix rose, shrieking with laughter, snatching her wand from Dolohov's outstretched hand.

"Would you like a taste yourself?" She pointed her wand directly at McGonagall's heart. Ginny cried out, making to leap at her.

"NO, Ginny!" Kingsley pushed her back with his wand. Ginny made to jump again, but found she was no longer able to move.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix had cast her spell. McGonagall buckled, her frail body contorting in unnatural positions. Kingsley roared, sending a shower of sparks unconsciously from his wand. Lupin rose weakly from the floor.

"You'll never win, Bellatrix." He seemed determinedly calm, his voice void of all emotion.

"Remus, is it? How much I could say to you." Bellatrix seemed to forget the fight for the moment. "You don't believe we will win, wolf? Look around. Your wife, my filthy cousin, is dead. Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts' once great protector, is dead at the hands of one of your supposed allies. Every friend you had is gone. Sirius Black has already fallen at my hand. And Harry Potter, the son of your best friend, The Boy who Lived, has now deserted you. I think, rather, that you have lost." Ginny's heart lurched at the mention of Harry. Lupin seemed to mirror her feeling.

"Harry has not left us." Dolohov made to curse him, but Kingsley blocked the spell. Bellatrix laughed.

"Ah, but of course you would trust in the boy. He's the godfather of your son, isn't he? How ironic that your boy will soon be the last of your ragged line. How will he take losing a mother, father, and godfather in one night?" Lupin's face suddenly broke, and he swung his wand at Bellatrix.

"Avada Kedavra!" It was not Bellatrix, but Dolohov who had uttered the curse. Ginny could only stare in horror as the spell hit its target. The look of anguish was still vaguely stretched across Remus' face as he fell gracefully to the ground, landing inches away from his wife.

"Stupefy!" Kingsley bellowed, hatred burning wildly in his eyes. Dolohov crumpled. Bellatrix laughed hysterically, moving her wand to Kingsley.

"Shacklebolt next, eh?" A shower of vibrant light played from both wands as Bellatrix and Kingsley began fighting with renewed vigor. McGonagall had pulled herself up and made her way to Lupin's body, staring in shock at his blank face.

"Ginny!" Neville's voice sounded behind her. He seemed to be trying to suppress the flames; Ginny heard a stream of incantations issuing from his mouth. Her attention could not be drawn from the fight in front of her, however. McGonagall and Dolohov had both returned to combat, blocking and throwing spells at dizzying speed.

"Finite Incantatum!" Neville has finally made his way through the flames and was now behind Ginny, unfreezing her from the Full Body Bind. Ginny cried out involuntarily, her shock at Lupin's death reaching her throat at long last. Neville was watching Bellatrix with a look of disgust.

"Neville, Lupin's dead! Tonks is dead! She killed her, she…she killed her!" Neville's eyes widened.

"Incarcerus!" Dolohov had bound Kingsley's arms to his sides with skinny black coils of rope. Bellatrix swiped at McGonagall, who reeled and fell backward. Ginny gripped Neville's arm and raised her wand. Bellatrix was standing over McGonagall, the ring of fire creeping slowly inward towards its creator. She raised her wand for the kill. A cold voice suddenly broke the chaos with no effort. Voldemort's voice sounded as clear as if he were standing right next to Ginny.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical bloods spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."


End file.
